Round Rock Cedar Ridge Rolls to First State Semifinal

By Chris Doelle
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Updated: December 10, 2017

photos: Steve Thomas (@sctvi)

Cedar Ridge Downs Hendrickson 30-2

In only their seventh season of varsity football, the Round Rock Cedar Ridge Raiders are quickly establishing themselves as a powerhouse in the Austin area. Last year, the Raiders finished the season 10-0 but saw their playoff run cut short in the area round of the 6A Division II playoffs after an overtime loss to Klein Collins. The team’s eleven wins marked the most in their history. Entering Saturday evening’s contest, the Raiders had already surpassed last year’s win total with twelve. In addition to winning a record number of games, Cedar Ridge also made their deepest playoff run in school history. After crushing Austin Akins and Klein Oak in the UIL 6A Division I bi-district and area rounds, the Raiders edged Coppell in an overtime thriller to advance to their first-ever region championship game.

To win their first region championship, the Raiders needed to get past their District 13-6A rivals the Pflugerville Hendrickson Hawks. The Hawks entered the game at 10-3 overall. The three losses came against traditional powerhouses Austin Lake Travis and Smithson Valley and against Cedar Ridge in the Hawks’ lone district loss. Saturday evening’s contest at The Pfield also marked their second trip to a regional final. Hendrickson advanced to the regional finals in 2008 but lost to Kerrville Tivy.

Cedar Ridge’s defense set the tone early, and the Raiders dominated throughout the night. Senior linebacker Colby Burkley opened the scoring with a 38-yard fumble return in the first quarter. Senior kicker Jose Berlanga extended the Hendrickson lead to 10-0 later in the first quarter with a 42-yard field goal. After the defense forced Hendrickson to punt on the ensuing possession, senior quarterback Ezekiel Coss connected with senior wide receiver Trey Williams for a 60-yard touchdown pass to put Cedar Ridge up 17-0. Coss then connected with junior wide receiver Jaylen Ellis on a 40-yard touchdown pass midway through the second quarter to put Cedar Ridge up 24-0 going into halftime. For the entire half, Hendrickson only managed to generate 24 total yards of offense.

In the second half, neither team was able to score until late in the third quarter. Ezekiel Coss gave Cedar Ridge a 30-0 lead with his third touchdown of the night on a 15-yard touchdown pass to Jose Berlanga. Hendrickson’s lone score of the night came when senior defensive back T’rel Tyler blocked the extra point attempt and returned it to the end zone. Neither team scored again in the fourth quarter, and the Raiders advanced to their first-ever state semifinal appearance with a 30-2 win.

After the game, Cedar Ridge head coach Sam Robinson expressed gratitude to the school and community for their support. He also credited his seniors for their hard work and improvement, especially in the midst of playing under three different head coaches in their time at Cedar Ridge. Next week, the Raiders will take on perennial powerhouse the Allen Eagles in the 6A Division I semifinals at McLane Stadium in Waco. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:00 pm.

by Steve Thomas